Digestive and emotional health are closely related, considering that the brain and digestive system connect through the neurons and neurotransmitters that link them, so when one of the systems is affected, the other suffers its adverse consequences as well. This type of relationship between two basic systems for the organism make that the digestion process can change mood positively or negatively according to each person’s eating habits. For these reasons it is important to take care of what we eat, since good nutrition favors positive emotions.
For this connection to take place, an extensive network of neurons and various types of neurotransmitters must connect the cerebral cortex with the walls of the stomach and intestine, transmitting information about the functioning of the digestive system and the digestion process; therefore, the digestive health of an individual directly influences emotional health and vice versa.
For an individual to have emotional and digestive health, the brain must record the signals derived from the digestive system and, if there is a flow of negative emotions such as anxiety, fears, depression or distress, or the person is subject to prolonged periods of negative stress, temporary or prolonged illnesses and discomforts may occur, and if the necessary corrective measures are not taken, they can be complicated and prolonged, affecting digestive and emotional health.
It is important to remember that the relationship between the brain and the digestive system is bidirectional; it is known that various digestive diseases that occur frequently in people, such as inflammations, irritations, colitis or gastritis are complicated when people have a negative emotional state because of stress, anxiety or depression.
On the other hand, it is convenient for you to know that digestive health depends on the homeostatic balance between digestive and cerebral function, taking into account the level of motility, sensitivity and inflammation, as well as microflora, which are directly related to food.
This balance is achieved thanks to the process called homeostasis, which represents the ability of living beings to maintain the balance and perseverance with respect to the conditions of the internal environment present in their organism, acting through the regulation and coordination of the mechanism and its functions, where variables such as concentrations, temperature, speed of physiological processes come into play to preserve internal stability.
This way, the recovery of digestive health must be carried out through a process of regulation of sensory and motor activity, which requires the adoption of an adequate diet in order to restore emotional balance, as a fundamental part of emotional health.
In this process of recovery of digestive health, the microbiota or intestinal flora plays a basic role because this set of microorganisms that inhabit the human intestine, which amount to approximately 100 trillion of them, whose weight reaches about 2 kilograms and of which most are bacteria, in addition to fulfilling a primary role in digestive health, also affect the functioning of the immune system.
For this reason, to have digestive health is essential to eat fiber that comes from various sources, such as whole wheat bread, brown rice, oatmeal, beans, fruits, vegetables, etc. Fructooligosaccharides food must be consumed, which is a type of soluble fiber, natural oligosaccharides whose structure consists of glucose molecules and between 10 and 20 fructose monomers, which are present in fruits and vegetables such as bananas, onions, garlic, chicory, artichokes, asparagus, among others, favouring intestinal activity and increasing the body’s defenses.
This type of food also contains inulin, which is a type of water-soluble prebiotic fiber that helps nourish beneficial bacteria in the body.
It is also advisable to consume fermented dairy products such as cheese, yogurt, fermented milk, etc., as well as foods containing antioxidants such as broccoli, cabbage, cauliflower, peppers, carrots, tomatoes, blueberries, strawberries, apples, and so on.
Other suggestions for digestive health is to avoid excessive consumption of the so-called junk or fast food, which generally includes processed foods, fats, sugars and refined, and replace them with vegetables, legumes, fish, fruit, olive oil and nuts.
It is also important to preserve digestive health that when you eat, you do it slowly, so that you can chew food very well, which in turn helps to remain calm, without letting negative emotions influence the digestive process.
To achieve emotional balance, it is recommended performing moderately aerobic physical exercises, emphasizing the techniques of breathing, meditation, relaxation, which are practiced in disciplines such as yoga, Tai Chi, Reiki, Chi Kung, among others.
ALFA